


Watching for Falling Stars

by idrilhadhafang



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Badass Poe Dameron, Category May Change or not, Conflicted Kylo Ren, Dog Fighting, Kylo Ren Has Issues, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-10-05 12:22:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17324924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang
Summary: Poe’s X-wing doesn’t get blown up during the Battle of D’Qar. Things change from here.





	1. Shot Down

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

“Permission to jump in an X-wing and blow something up?” Poe says. 

“Permission granted,” Leia says, and Poe runs to the hangar as quickly as he can, BB-8 at his heels. He isn’t thinking of much, except running as quickly as he can and, of course, defending the  _Raddus._

Tallie and the others are in the hangar, about to blast off even as Poe runs. There’s some sort of TIE fighter outside, swooping past like a bird of prey, and Poe knows that there’s simply not much time. 

It’s outside that the TIE fighter hesitates, almost like it’s wondering what to do next. Or lulling them into a false sense of security, Poe can’t help but think. It’s hesitating, and he wonders, absently, what exactly is going on inside the pilot’s head right now. 

***

Blowing up the hangar should be easy. It’s only practical, after all — it’s only just about what anyone would do in that moment. And yet...he doesn’t know if he can. Poe is onboard. Kylo can feel him on the ship, a Force presence a lot like the sunlit long grass fields of Yavin where they used to cloudwatch. 

Why should it matter? He already destroyed Poe’s mind; why is he hesitating to kill him? He ought to, anyway. Let his mother’s replacement child fall. Snoke told him as much. _It says volumes when even your own mother hates you, doesn’t it?_

A different memory intrudes this time. Leaving Poe behind on Yavin. The feeling like a part of his heart had been ripped out. 

Why should it matter? 

Poe’s X-wing blasts off and comes right at him, and Kylo fires. Poe blocks it. They move over, fighting against a backdrop of stars and the vacuum of space. It’s a mixture of laser blasts and shields going up until Poe —

Something hits the tail of his TIE fighter, and Kylo’s already falling towards the nearest planet like a falling star, leaving smoke trails in his wake. He’s aware that another TIE fighter’s fired at Poe, and Poe’s falling with him, towards the planet below.


	2. Waking World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kylo wakes first.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Kylo is the one to wake first, his forehead badly scraped, blood trickling down it, his body aching and sore, and effectively trapped in the remains of his TIE fighter. 

He hurts, all over. His body hurts...but pain is nothing. Pain is weakness — and after Starkiller, he is not about to be weak again. 

He almost envies Poe. Poe must have a pretty illustrious standing in the Resistance. Adored by everyone, and the only ones who’d hate him...well, they’re probably jealous. 

Except Kylo’s jealous (bizarrely enough) and he doesn’t really hate Poe. And speaking of Poe...

Kylo pushes the lid off his TIE fighter, walks out — and is confronted with the sticky sensation of swamp water and mud. He grimaces; he doesn’t even have a change of clothes in his TIE fighter. Very unfortunate. He ignores it, and the nipping bugs, and walks towards Poe. 

It would be easy to just leave him. But Kylo can’t. It could be a good opportunity, to restore Snoke’s faith in him. He may have lost to a girl who’d never held a lightsaber, but he is not a failure. He’s not...nothing. She’s nothing, she comes from nothing, she’s an insignificant little garbage picker who probably never had to work for anything. Lucky her. 

He hates both of them. Poe and the girl. But perhaps...

Perhaps he could save him. It’s all to do with regaining Snoke’s favor. And yet...

He remembers what promise he made to keep Poe safe. How even torturing him had been like tearing out a part of him. How...

Kylo grits his teeth and pulls away the lid of the X-wing. BB-8 notices and beeps in confusion at him — he recognizes Ben Solo. Recognizes the young man who left, a decade older now and with plenty of crimes under his belt. It’s Kylo who lifts Poe out. He looks like an angel fallen from Iego, which is probably why Kylo Ren doesn’t believe in those beings anymore. 

He sets Poe down on dry land. And with his right hand, he reaches out, concentrating on the X-wing as it trembles and shakes. For a moment, he wonders if he won’t be able to do it. He’s weak, after all. Completely weak. Couldn’t even beat a scavenger. She’ll pay for the punishment Snoke put him through, and so will Snoke...

The ship sinks, and then it stops. It slowly rises, shaking all the while, before gliding into view. It lands, not far from Poe, and BB-8 cheers. 

“I didn’t do it for you,” Kylo says. 

He wonders, absently, how feeble that excuse really is. 


End file.
